1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a charged particle beam instrument and a sample container.
2. Description of Related Art
Where a sample is observed with a charged particle beam instrument such as an electron microscope, if the sample is a biological sample or a polymeric material, and if the sample is irradiated with a charged particle beam (such as an electron beam), the structure of the sample may be destroyed and thus the sample under normal conditions may not be observed. In this case, where the sample is cooled below the temperature of liquid nitrogen (for example, a cryogenic temperature), even if the sample is irradiated with a charged particle beam such as an electron beam, the sample will be destroyed less easily. The sample under normal conditions can be observed.
However, when a sample is cooled and introduced into a sample chamber such as of an electron microscope that is in a vacuum state, various contrivances have been made to prevent crystalline ice or frost from being deposited on the sample (see, for example, JP-A-2013-037841).